River Deben - Woodbridge

morgandlm

morgandlm

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I'm planning my first foray into the Deben during next week - weather permitting. I've downloaded the latest chartlet (April 2007). I'd be grateful to any East Coast experts out there for any hints and advice on making the entry and on where is good to moor up overnight. My East Coast pilot suggests an entry at half flood - is this still sound advice? My boat is a bilge keel Sadler 26 drawing about 1.2 metres.
Thanks in advance.
Morgan
 
Haven't been in this year but next week is neaps - afternoon/evening HW - so should be OK for you. Wind onto the entrance makes it lumpy/rough/difficult depending on strength.
Once in plenty of good places; the Rocks, RAmsholt ( pub), Waldringfield (+pub), Woodbridge (+ pubs/shops/cinema/theater/restaurants), even just inside at Bawdsey/Old Felixstowe(+pubs & the hut cafe excellent Fish&Chips; fresh fish).
Lovely river; enjoy it!!
 
We've been out and in a couple of times in last few weeks. 1.5 draft, 2 hours before HW gave min depth under keel of about 0.8m

Dont hug the bouys. At present the best water is a boat length or two on the "correct" side. (Advice from John White just before Easter)

Don't get caught unawares by the strong inflows coming across you just after you have turned right in to the river, between the green bouy and Felixstowe Ferry village. They are not dreadful, just know they are coming!

Tide tables for Woodbridge Town can be found here
http://www.woodbridgecruisingclub.co.uk/resources.php
 
Not been in this year yet, but will be doing over the weekend.... but looks like its important to stay on the track between the two knoll buoys for a good 2 to 3 boat lengths, or perhaps a little more, before turning towards the Martello tower at the moment....

You can get suprising close to the shoreline and still be in deep water...

As for places to visit when you get there... if you want a buoy, then Ramsholt is hard to beat, but for anchorages, the Rocks every time.... if your draft/courage allows it, then a trip up to the tide mill is very rewarding....
 
You've bags of time to get up-river, so even as late as an hour before HW will do, but you will get less of a view of the bar on the way in.
 
Won't half flood mean you are going in with the tide at full strength?

It makes sense to go in on the flood but the current will be weaker near to slack water.
 
Entering the river at about HW -2h to HW -1h30m is what I like. There is loads of water by then, you wizz past Felixstowe Ferry and still have time to get all the way to Woodbridge just after the Tidemill sill opens (for us at 1.5m, anyway).

Importantly you take the shallow wiggly bits at the top of the river with nearly an hour rise still left for when you go aground. Crossing the bar at slack HW doesn't bring this advantage.

By the way it takes about 30 to 40mins for HW to get from the bar to woodbridge.
 
Lots of good advice already posted by Shmoo...

Have been in/out most weekends this season & it is straightforward provided you give both buoys a couple of boatlengths clearance and take care to stay on course between them. The water boils alarmingly in places between the Mid Knolls & Felixstowe Ferry but is benign as long as you don't go too close to the knolls, just the effect of tidal cross currents. Beach side is very steep to.

Entry HW +/-3 looks fine next week for 1.2M draft but not on the ebb if you lack engine power or if there is F4+ wind over tide as breakers form on the bar!

Do watch out for the Horse shoal just above Felixstowe Ferry, best avoided by not sailing through the moorings that surround it.

Best anchorage at the Rocks if not crowded, or just upstream of Waldringfield at the Tips. Lots of free moorings still at Ramsholt (HM George Collins) with the benefit of a good pub ashore and at Waldringfield (call Andrew Brown at Wfield Boatyard) with dry landing & another pub...

The finest river on the E Coast in my opinion - also worth calling at Woodbridge Tide Mill to potter round the town there.
 
Agree with what has been said.Went out 2 weeks ago & it does pay to keep on course a boat length past mid knoll(SHB green) before turning as you come in.You will have no problem coming in at half flood with your depth providing not much swell.You should also be OK to go through Loders Cut as you will be about 2 hrs before HW Woodbridge if going that far.Generally if you can get out of Tidemill with a bit to spare you can go through Loders Cut.The cill guage is very accurate at Tidemill,but I have found that my boat which draws 1.52 according to the statistics in reallity draws 1.6 when loaded with fuel & water.The Tidemill website has a section which shows the water depth over the cill at various hours before & after high water,but do not rely on it too much as due to pressure etc I have observed that their can be less than it forecasts.By observation(and experience) there is often less water during the 2nd high tide of the day.Have a good trip.
 
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I have observed that their can be less than it forecasts.

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Ditch, you may know that shmoo is responsible for, no - wrong word, shmoos shun responsibilty; shmoo makes up the tide predictions for Woodbridge and Tidemill. If you have any actual observations dates, times, pressures and wind direction/speed feed them back to me - this will help refine next year's set.

By the way, the tides have been late at Woodbridge with the N and NE winds lately. They get to predicted height in the end the end but about 20-30 minutes later than predicted.
 
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